10 ways to spend your tax refund

Tax-filing season is in full swing, with millions of filers already sending in their forms -- primarily because they are expecting a refund from the Internal Revenue Service.

Checklist

Regardless of whether your cash back from Uncle Sam is a few hundred dollars or several thousand dollars, any amount of money can go a long way if you think before you spend. Try one of these money-smart suggestions:

1. Pay down credit card debt

OK, so this doesn't sound as appealing as a new flat-screen TV. But if you can knock out -- or knock down -- the balance of even one high-interest credit card, you're making money. Think of all the interest you won't be paying.

2. Open an IRA

Or, if you already have one, use your refund toward your annual contribution. Been putting this move off until you had "a little extra money?" Today's your lucky day. Any amount "will compound nicely," says Chris Farrell, author of "Right on the Money."

3. Take stock

Historically, stocks have produced nice returns, and even a few hundred dollars can get your nest egg off to a nice start.

"The biggest mistake people make is thinking (what they have) is too small an amount to invest," says Ric Edelman, author of "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth." "Rich people start off as poor people. The difference is they take the nickels and dimes and they invest it -- they didn't spend it all at the mall," he says.

4. Set up a rainy day fund

"Most people have a checking account and a savings account," says Farrell. "I like for them to set up a separate mutual fund account."

The money is there in an emergency, but because you can't just empty it out by writing a series of little checks, you're less likely to touch it. The standard rule of thumb is to sock away three to six months of living expenses. So start with your refund and take it from there.

5. Refinance your house

Rates remain low, so if you've been looking at refinancing, your refund offers a piece of change to put toward closing costs. Depending on the deal you get with your lender, your refund might not cover the whole cost, "but it could take care of a nice chunk," says Farrell.

6. Add to your mortgage payment

"For most people, this is better than putting it in a savings account," says Robert Van Order, adjunct professor of finance at the University of Michigan.

7. Spruce up the homestead

Thinking of a do-it-yourself landscaping or remodeling job? Take the tax refund and get a professional to sketch out a plan for you to follow. For a few hundred dollars you will know exactly what you're getting into and how much of it you want to do yourself. Plus, increasing the value of your home puts extra equity in your pocket.

8. Auto details, details, details

Planning on selling your car anytime soon? "Getting your car detailed can make a huge difference if you are putting it up for sale," says John Clor, of Ford Communications Network. A thorough job, which costs about $175 for detailing inside and out, could increase the price you get by as much as $1,000, says Clor.

9. Service your car

"The No. 1 thing people forget with cars is to maintain them," says Clor. If you've been putting off that oil change and tuneup because you just didn't have the money -- this is the time. And check the tires. Extra bonus: A well-maintained car with properly inflated tires burns less gas and saves you money in the long run.

10. Get the star treatment

If you've had your nose to the grindstone all year, your refund could be a way to give yourself a much-needed treat. A full day at a local spa, a dinner at the best restaurant in town or tickets to a show you've been wanting to see for months could be the perfect way to give you a new, and better, outlook on your life.

"You'll be totally relaxed, feel good and it's probably something you wouldn't do under normal circumstances," says Farrell. "And you'll have a really nice memory."

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